


Fairytale Ending

by Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw



Series: October Ficlet Challenge [10]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Libraries, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 17:10:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12280845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw/pseuds/Turn_of_the_Sonic_Screw
Summary: Laura gets the book, and the girl.Prompt: Looking for the same library book; pairing: Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein





	Fairytale Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt and beta from the fabulous imaginary_golux. Also, I swear we didn't plan the confluence of today's prompts.

Laura scanned the recommended reading list for Lit 117: Folktales and Fairy Stories. Most of the books looked a little intimidating ( _A Complete History and Scrutiny of European Legend_ ) if not outright terrifying ( _The Monster Book of Monsters_? Seriously?). But _A Brief Compendium of Stryian Fairytales_ sounded kind of nice. Insofar as anything about Silas was nice.

Speaking of which, this was going to mean a trip to the library. Laura had heard rumors, and even her campus tour hadn't taken them inside. Still, she rationalized, the rumors were probably just some elaborate prank on the freshman class, and the tour guide had probably just been in a hurry. She was not going to be scared off by some clanking pipes, she resolved, and grabbed her backpack. At any rate, it wasn't likely to be as bad as World's Worst Roommate Carmilla Karnstein.

&&&

Carmilla felt a certain gnawing inside of her, the kind that couldn't be met with blood, or sex, or even a prolonged prowl about the grounds as a panther. Loath as she was to admit it, Carmilla was feeling nostalgic for her cut-short childhood.

One particular memory impelled her today: that of her mother reading to her as a little girl. And that meant the library. Meh, she thought, and headed out.

&&&

Laura dutifully consulted the card catalog, jotting down the author's name, call number, and... "Today's horoscope? 'Though your instinct will be to compete, cooperation could yield surprising benefits.' That could apply to almost anything!" Laura shook her head free of such claptrap. Why, she might as well believe in vampires or witches or living libraries.

"Okay, the boilers do sound eerily like someone moaning. And I was definitely hit on the head by a frankly creepy number of falling books. But here I am at last: 398.2, Fairytales!"

"Congratulations, cutie. And by all means: continue narrating your humdrum existence. It's rather charming. In an idiotic sort of way."

Laura clenched her tiny fists. Ugh. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"It's a library. What do you think?"

Double ugh. "Pretty sure I've never seen you do any homework since we've been roommates."

"Who said it was for class? Anyway, what are you doing here? They don't let you have snacks in here. Plus I hear the library can be pretty _spooky_ ," and here she waggled her fingers at Laura and adopted a Transylvanian accent. Laura couldn't decide if this was endearingly adorable or maddeningly contemptuous.

"I am _not_ scared! Are you scared?"

Carmilla smirked. "The library knows better than to mess with me, because it knows I'm scarier." She flexed and bared her teeth, which was way too hot for such a jerkface.

"Soooo... What book are you looking for?" Laura asked, trying to make small talk and distract herself from her growing fear/frustration/arousal. 

" _A Brief Compendium of Stryian Fairytales_ ," Carmilla drawled after an annoyed silence.

"Me too!"

Carmilla raised a competitive eyebrow. "In that case, may the best woman win. Assuming we don't both call it quits. I swear I've seen this same book on three different shelves."

"What if we worked together? And then we could both read at the same time?"

Carmilla, to Laura's surprise, considered her offer, then agreed. "But only if you read aloud. And because this cursed dump might like you better."

As if on cue, a book fell from the top shelf, with Carmilla lunging forward to catch it before it could land on Laura's head. The movement took her within a few inches of the smaller girl's face. I could kiss her, Laura thought. "Holy crap!" was what her mouth settled on instead. Definitely going home and taking a cold shower before Carmilla can clog up the drain again.

"C'mon, cupcake. Let's get out of here before the psychology section turns into a hellmouth. Again." Laura laughed. She was kidding, right?

&&&

Outside on the pentangle was as picturesque as the library was gloomy. A gorgeous mid-fall day, sun shining bright and the leaves on the trees just beginning to yellow. “Here will do,” Carmilla declared, sitting down abruptly under a tree. 

“Uh, okay.” Laura shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She picked a story at random and began to read. As she did, Carmilla sprawled out and _purred_. Laura’s jaw nearly dropped--she would never have guessed that her otherwise crass roommate could be so...cute. “Actual cat, Carmilla Karnstein,” Laura muttered under her breath. She kept reading, and two stories on, Carmilla dropped her head into Laura’s lap. Well, Laura thought, Carmilla never was one for boundaries. So she kept reading. And if her other hand stroked Carmilla’s hair, well, the other girl didn’t seem to mind.

In point of fact… “Carmilla,” Laura whispered. “Are you asleep?”

“I was,” she grumped. Then, remembering what they were doing, asked, “How did that last story end?”

“Oh, the usual. The Countess finds her true love and they live happily ever after.”

Carmilla half-smiled. “I always liked that one.”

“Yeah,” Laura said, petting Carmilla some more. “So do I.”


End file.
